Internal Server Error when attempting a download

[sandlily]

Hello,
Please help? my downloads were working just fine, then suddenly i started getting a "500 Internal Server Error." I didn't change anything before this happened. Any ideas?
Thanks!!

[Cristián Lávaque]

Could you please tell us what versions of s2Member and WordPress you have installed?

Also, check your Apache and PHP error logs, see if there's more information on the error there, or ask your webhost to help you understand why you're getting that error. 500 could mean several different things from what I understand.

[sandlily]

Thank you so much for responding!
WordPress 3.1.3, s2Member Version: 3.5.8 Stable tag: 3.5.8 Framework: WS-P-3.5
Sorry, I'm new to WordPress & s2Member - how do I check error logs?

[Cristián Lávaque]

Hmm... I'd first update s2Member to the latest release. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/s2member/

[sandlily]

okay, i updated s2member to version 110606, but unfortunately the problem persists. when i click the download link, i do get the little "confirm this download" pop-up window, but then (after it attempts to connect to the file) i get that internal server error message.

[Cristián Lávaque]

Got it.

Try to get your webhost to check the error logs and tell you more about the error you're getting.

[sandlily]

How frustrating! I asked the webhost to check the error logs and their response was:
"We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. I have noticed that you have installed wordpress to http://www.stephengilligan.com/downloads and it is working fine from our end. please check your website once again after clearing the browser cache. Please let us know if the issue persist."
So I cleared my cache, and of course I'm still getting the error message.

[Cristián Lávaque]

You were asking for the error log, not for them to load the page. Did they try to download the file to see the error?

[sandlily]

I told them exactly how to duplicate the error (by trying to download the file)... here's what they had to say:

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. I have asked a member of our team who specializes in your wordpress Issue to review your account. You should be hearing from this specialist within 24-48 hours."

...and I'm still waiting (the error persists)

[Cristián Lávaque]

I hope he gets back to you soon.

I'll ask Jason if he has any ideas.

[sandlily]

Thanks Cristián

[drbyte]

Make sure you have the correct url path to the file. Are you using http and www? Http://www

Sam

[sandlily]

Okay, now I'm thoroughly confused. I thought I put my downloadable files in the correct place according to the s2member directions:

Upload restricted files to this security-enabled directory:
/hermes/bosweb/web282/b2824/ipw.stephengilligan/public_html/downloads/wp-content/plugins/s2member-files

and I linked to it according to the directions as well:
http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... 2010_1.zip

but they say my path is incorrect:

"I have checked your issue and noticed that when we click on the link 'Download' the website gets redirected to the URL http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... 2010_1.zip . However I could not find any zip file inside the 'download' folder. It seems that the path specified is incorrect. Please upload the file to the proper location and then check the website functionality."

What's the deal?

[sandlily]

I must have something configured wrong in s2member. But the downloads were working at first...?

[Cristián Lávaque]

The URL seems fine, I even got redirected to the Membership Options Page because I wasn't at Level 1, so it looks like s2Member is working with it. http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... evel_req=1

I find it strange that the file won't download if you're at Level 1.

[sandlily]

maybe my files aren't in the right place. when you say upload files to: "/hermes/bosweb/web282/b2824/ipw.stephengilligan/public_html/downloads/wp-content/plugins/s2member-files" ...is that the same as "www.stephengilligan.com/public_html/downloads/wp-content/plugins/s2member-files" ? because that's where i put them (using my ftp client which is Captain FTP). or do i need to go thru the webhost's control panel to access the "/hermes/bosweb/web282/b2824/ipw.stephengilligan" part

[drbyte]

Hi

Create a link to the file using the standard method and try again. If you still get an error then either the file does not eexist in the correct folder or it is corrupted. Whats the size of your trance mp3 file

[sandlily]

Hi,
I'm not sure what you meant exactly but I created the following links to the files:

http://www.stephengilligan.com/public_h ... 2010_1.zip
and
http://www.stephengilligan.com/public_h ... 2010_2.zip
and yes, I get a 'page not found' error for both. This is so weird, because the files are there - i can see them. they are HUGE files (i've asked my client to break them down into smaller parts), but the downloads were working when i first set them up so i didn't think the file size could cause that server error... do you think that's the issue?

[drbyte]

Hi....do not include the absolute path for files..just http://www.site.com/....then s2m then your file

Look under s2m downloads for examples

[sandlily]

I'm sorry, i don't understand. I have no trouble downloading the file directly from elsewhere on the server (outside wordpress and s2member), but trying to get to it through s2member (the "s2member-files" folder) that isn't working.

[drbyte]

Hi Again

Are you using WordPress MU?

There are 2 sites

1. http://www.stephengilligan.com/downloads/
2.http://www.stephengilligan.com/

Now I checked the path to the files given:

http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... 2010_1.zip

Now, when i enter the above it takes me to

http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... evel_req=1

Which is correct as long your membership page is ID=2

Now, when you log in, does that link give you 404 or 500?

Possible:

1. s2member-files has the wrong permission. Sometimes they left blank after host hard drive failure or if the host had to rebuild the array on bad hard drives because one of them was bad

(Check and see if s2member-files has 755 permission

2. Make sure File Downloads ( Level #1 Or Higher ): is configured correctly
3. Download Limit Exceeded Page is configured correctly
4. Inline File Extensions does not include .zip

If the file is large, you might get a time out error. Is it over 400MB?

Under your public html/downloads/ you should see a file called error_log
Download this file to your desktop and open it with notepad
Look for any errors regarding your files and submit back to this form

[sandlily]

What is wordpress MU?

Yes, my membership page is ID=2

Yes, s2member-files has 755 permission

File Downloads (Level #1 Or Higher) is configured unlimited (999999999)

Download limit page is configured correctly (i think)

I left Inline File Extensions blank

I cannot find an error_log file

When I'm logged in and click the link: http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... 2010_1.zip I get a 500 Internal Server Error

When I'm logged in and click the link: http://www.stephengilligan.com/download ... 2010_1.zip I get a page that says "Directory has no index file"

What in the world am I doing wrong??

[sandlily]

I forgot to mention again that before getting the 500 error I do get the pop-up window prompting me to confirm the download (so I do have 'permission')

[drbyte]

I'm sorry you are having hard time with this...

Is there a .htaccess inside the s2member-files? When you open it it should say deny from all

Fixing 500 errors - general

This error can only be resolved by fixes to the Web server software. It is not a client-side problem. It is up to the operators of the Web server site to locate and analyse the logs which should give further information about the error.

Sam

[Jason Caldwell]

I agree with Sam.

One other thing to try, is the following. s2Member has two methods that it can use to deliver protected files to your visitors. The default method is what we refer to as "simulated streaming", which allows small servers to remain functional, even with very large files. However, in mysterious cases like yours, we find that it helps to try s2Member's fallback routine, using a simple call to file_get_contents() instead. To force s2Member to use it's fallback delivery method, please create this directory and file:

/wp-content/mu-plugins/s2-hacks.php

Code: Select all

<?php
add_filter("ws_plugin__s2member_stream_file_downloads", "__return_false");
?>